UA vs UAB vs TAMU vs UCF Pre-Med

College Search & Selection
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Hi everyone! I am a prospective Pre-Med Student and was accepted to UAB (SciTech Honors Program), University of Alabama Tuscaloosa (Randall Research Scholars), Texas A&M, and UCF (Honors). I am quite conflicted on which university to choose that would offer me the best opportunities in the following categories:

  1. Neuroscience and Human Biology/Biology Research
  2. Physician Shadowing
  3. Clinical Research
  4. Diversity of Non-medical volunteering opportunities
  5. Rigor of the institution and quality of pre-med courses

School-Specific Questions:

  1. How helpful is the SciTech program at UAB? Has anyone conducted neuroscience research?
  2. How accessible are hospital volunteering and shadowing at TAMU? In addition, how strong is neuroscience research at TAMU?
  3. Since UCF’s medical school is about 20-30 min away, has any undergrad been able to conduct research there under a professor? Also, what research opportunities are available for Honors students?
  4. UA has no medical school and I was wondering if volunteering and shadowing are accessible nearby. As a pre-med student at Bama, how have you acquired biological research opportunities, volunteering, and shadowing? Does Bama have any medically-related research? How useful is the Randall Research Scholars program?

I know a little about each university based on what I could find online but I was wondering if anyone who is pre-med at these schools can share their experiences being in a pre-med pathway at these schools and the relative abundance (or lack thereof) of opportunities that you had to do as traditional pre-med activities but also be able to pursue other interests outside of the classroom as well. If you could, I would love to learn more about the topics I listed above! Thanks for your advice and help in advance!

1 Like
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First, eliminate the two you are definitely least interested in, right now. It’s way too late to be deciding between four schools. You could agonize for another year because all four will have strengths and weaknesses.

I don’t know anything about any of these schools. I think, but don’t know that TAMU has the best overall reputation. I suggest you look at their med school acceptance rates and Payscale, which might give you a rough idea of earnings post grad.

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Where did you choose to go and why?